Governor Schwarzenegger has vetoed SB 303, a proposed law that would require doctors to inform residents about the dangers of psychotropic medications, and require nursing homes residents to give consent before such drugs can be given.
According to the California Advocates for Nursing Home Reform (CANHR), the use of psychoactive drugs has become an epidemic in California. According to one study, nearly 60% of all California nursing home patients are administered psychoactive narcotics, a huge increase from only a decade earlier.
Governor Schwarzenegger admitted that misuse of antipsychotic drugs is a serious problem in nursing homes when he vetoed the legislation, and even cited a study that found more than have of all residents on psychoactive drugs are in violation of federal guidelines.
“It is shocking that the Governor is protecting doctors and nursing homes that are drugging tens of thousands of elders with dementia into submission,” said Patricia McGinnis, CANHR’s executive director. “Thousands of nursing home residents will continue to die from these deadly drugs.”
SB 303 was sponsored by CANHR and received the support of many statewide organizations, including AARP, Alzheimer’s Association, California Alliance for Retired Americans, California Senior Legislature, Congress of California Seniors, Consumer Attorneys of California, Bet Tzedek Legal Services, Advocacy, Inc., Foundation Aiding the Elderly, Gray Panthers Sacramento, and Older Women’s League of California.
Source: CANHR
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